Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-06-17

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] State Department to name new special envoy on Cyprus

[02] US administration opposes S-300 deployment

[03] Russian FM reiterates support for Cyprus

[04] Turkish warships anchor in occupied ports

[05] US backs UN efforts on Cyprus

[06] Government to decide on progress

0920:CYPPRESS:01

[01] State Department to name new special envoy on Cyprus

According to State Department sources, Miller will have ambassadorial rank and will be the assistant to the newly-appointed presidential emissary for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke.

Miller is to replace ambassador James Williams. Over the past few months Carey Cavanaugh, the Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs at the State Department, was acting as special coordinator for Cyprus.

CNA DA/AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

0930:CYPPRESS:02

[02] US administration opposes S-300 deployment

Commenting on statements made by Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeni Primakov, after a meeting in Moscow yesterday with his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides, State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns, reiterated the opposition of the US administration to the missiles purchase.

Primakov told the press Monday the S-300 anti-aircraft missiles will be sent to Cyprus, unless an agreement for the island's complete demilitarisation is reached. He said Russia fully backs such an agreement.

In a remark during his press briefing, that parts of the missiles have already been shipped to Cyprus, Burns said "I don't accept your facts, with all due respect."

He dismissed relevant press reports and said President Glafcos Clerides had assured the US government that no parts of the S-300 system would be imported to Cyprus for 16 months.

"We have been told in very clear terms by a very honourable person, the President of Cyprus - a man who has kept his word always to the US, that none of these parts would be imported for 16 months," Burns said.

Regarding Turkish threats against Cyprus, the State Department spokesman once again warned Turkey publicly not to threaten with further military action on the island.

"Just as we do not believe it is wise to introduce a missile system into the Eastern Mediterranean, we think it is objectionable and unwise for Turkey to threaten any kind of military action against Cyprus," Burns said.

Turkey, that occupies 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since it invaded the island in 1974, has repeatedly threaten for further military action once the S-300 surface-to-air missiles are deployed in the government- controlled free areas of the island.

"We have said so publicly. We have told the Turkish government privately about this. We mean what we say," the State Department spokesman stressed.

CNA DA/AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1020:CYPPRESS:03

[03] Russian FM reiterates support for Cyprus

The Russian position was reiterated during a meeting Monday in Moscow between the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Cyprus, Yevgeni Primakov and Ioannis Kasoulides.

After the meeting, Primakov told the press that Russian-made anti- aircraft missile system S-300 will be dispatched to Cyprus, as provided by an agreement signed earlier this year by the two countries, unless an agreement for the island's complete demilatarisation is reached.

The Russian FM noted that Russia fully backs the island's complete demilitarisation, as proposed by President Glafcos Clerides.

According to an official statement, the two men discussed the Cyprus question and other bilateral issues of mutual interest.

Primakov expressed the hope that a Cyprus solution would be reached soon, within the framework of relevant UN resolutions.

He reaffirmed his country's readiness to play a substantial role, contributing to the success of the UN Secretary-General's ongoing mission of goods offices.

The Russian Minister expressed the hope that the forthcoming direct talks between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash would yield positive results.

According to the press release, Kasoulides briefed Primakov on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, expressing the government's appreciation for Russia's firm support for a solution.

He also briefed his Russian counterpart on the upcoming face-to-face talks President Clerides and Denktash will have between July 9-13 outside New York, stressing the government's political will to achieve progress on the issue.

Kasoulides extended an invitation to Primakov to visit the island and the Russian Foreign Minister accepted it. The date will be announced later.

Present at the meeting were Vladimir Tchizhov, the head of the Third Directorate for European Affairs at the Russian Foreign Ministry, who is also his country's special envoy on Cyprus, and Cyprus' ambassador in Moscow Platon Kyriakides.

Kasoulides returns to Cyprus later today.

CNA AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1100:CYPPRESS:04

[04] Turkish warships anchor in occupied ports

Kyrenia is located on the northern coast of the island, while Famagusta is situated on the eastern coast.

Three frigates, three destroyers and three submarines have dropped anchor in the occupied ports and according to Turkish Cypriot press reports will remain there until next Thursday.

Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, received the ships' senior officers, the press reports added.

Five Turkish navy vessels also taking part in "Sea Wolf '97" sailed yesterday to Haifa, Israel, where they will stay for four days, the same reports said. CNA SA/KN/MH/GP/1997

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1440:CYPPRESS:05

[05] US backs UN efforts on Cyprus

"At this point, it's very clear that the US, the administration as a whole and Ambassador Holbrooke in particular, want to support the UN Secretary-General's efforts in New York for the talks that he has scheduled. We're very supportive of that and nothing that we do will be anything other than supportive," Brill said, following an hour-long meeting with President of the Republic, Glafcos Clerides, today.

Annan has scheduled direct negotiations between President Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, for July 9-13 to break the deadlock that has kept the Cyprus problem in limbo for the last 23 years.

Brill said it is "premature" to assign any particular tasks Holbrooke will take over regarding the Cyprus problem, but praised the Presidential Emissary as a man with great abilities and experience, who is familiar with the Cyprus issue.

"He comes to the US President's assignment with a good deal of background. I think that over time, precisely what he's going to do and how he's going to do it will emerge, but he'll be talking about that himself later," Brill said.

The US Ambassador said Holbrooke's involvement in the Cyprus issue will enhance an already active US team working on the Cyprus problem, and that involvement will span this year as well as next.

"Ambassador Holbrooke joins a team that's been active. He brings his own level of activity to it. I think he'll be active in '97 as well as '98, " he said.

Brill noted however, that the US team that will be assisting Holbrooke in his efforts on Cyprus has not been assembled yet, pending routine reassignment of US staff to other overseas assignments.

"We're in the process of going through the normal rotation that foreign ministers go through every so often," Brill said. "I think it's probably a little early to say that everybody who is going to work in Cyprus in the coming year has been formally assigned and assembled, but the process is underway and should be completed relatively soon."

The US Ambassador also said it is "premature" to attach a specific date to a visit by Holbrooke to Cyprus.

CNA MH/MM/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1455:CYPPRESS:06

[06] Government to decide on progress

"There is no reason to justify boosting our defence capability with the Russian anti-aircraft system S-300 if Cyprus is to be demilitarised," Government Spokesman Manolis Christofides said here today.

Christofides' comments came in response to statements by Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov and US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns.

"The Greek Cypriot side will be the judge of progress and whether this progress is sufficient to justify the cancellation of the arrival of the Russian missiles," Christofides added.

The Cyprus government's decision to purchase the Russian missiles, announced in January this year, came under fire from foreign governments, who feared the move will cause retaliatory measures from Turkey and increase tension in the region.

President Glafcos Clerides has reassured worrying diplomats that no missile component will be deployed on the island before 16 months have elapsed.

CNA KN/MM/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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